Giving or showing preference; favoring one option over others. Often used in contexts of special treatment or priority consideration.
From Latin praeferre 'to carry in front, prefer' (prae- 'before' + ferre 'to carry') + -ential suffix. The adjective form developed in English to describe systems or attitudes showing preference.
Preferential treatment is hardwired into human psychology - studies show we unconsciously favor people who share our birthday, first name, or even just sit on our dominant hand side, demonstrating how arbitrary similarities can trigger preference biases.
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